This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 with respect to Japanese Application No. 2001-232790 filed on Jul. 31, 2001, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention generally relates to a vehicle door handle assembly. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a vehicle door handle assembly which includes a grip type outside door handle.
A Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H08-35360 discloses a known vehicle door handle assembly of this kind. This known assembly includes a frame secured to an inside of an outer panel for a vehicle door and a handle lever rotatably assembled to the frame by a shaft portion and rotatably urged to a predetermined position in a rotation direction by a rotative urging spring. The vehicle door handle assembly further includes a grip type outer handle installed from an outside of the outer panel and rotatably operating the handle lever. At one end of the grip type outer handle, an engaging portion is provided for being engaged with a supporting portion in an inclinable manner provided at the frame by being inserted through an opening for insertion provided at the outer panel. At the other end of the grip type outer handle, an inserting projection having an engaging concave portion is provided for being engaged with an input portion of the handle lever by being inserted through each opening for insertion provided at the outer panel and the frame.
According to the vehicle door handle assembly disclosed in the above publication, the handle lever is assembled to the supporting portion provided at the frame by means of a supporting shaft so as to be rotatable and movable in an axial direction on the supporting shaft. In addition, a sliding guide lever rotatably assembled on the supporting shaft and rotatably urged to a predetermined position in the rotation direction by a spring (rotative urging spring) is engaged with the handle lever so as to be rotated as a unit. Then, the sliding guide lever is engaged with a stopper projection provided at the frame. The handle lever is urged in the axial direction by a second spring (axial urging spring) assembled on the supporting shaft and in contact with a stopper surface of the sliding guide lever for holding the handle lever in a tentative holding position. Under the condition that the handle lever is maintained at the tentative holding position, the handle lever is movable in the axial direction by overcoming the urging force of the second spring in the axial direction. By using this movement characteristic of the handle lever, the grip type outer handle can be installed in the frame by being pushed from the outside of the outer panel through one-touch operation.
According to the vehicle door handle assembly disclosed in the above publication, when the outer handle is installed in the frame by being pushed from the outside of the outer panel through one-touch operation, the handle lever is required to be moved in the axial direction against the urging force in the axial direction of the second spring. Thus, the assembly condition of the outer handle is not well.
It is an object of the present invention to improve an assembly condition of an outer handle toward a frame.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the vehicle door handle assembly includes a frame secured to an inside of an outer panel for a vehicle door, and a handle lever rotatably assembled to the frame by a shaft portion and rotatably urged to a predetermined position in a rotation direction by a rotative urging spring. The vehicle door handle assembly further includes a grip type outer handle installed from an outside of the outer panel and rotatably operating the handle lever. The grip type outer handle includes an engaging portion at one end being inserted through an opening for insertion provided at the outer panel and being engaged with a supporting portion in an inclinable manner provided at the frame, and an inserting projection having an engaging concave portion at the other end being inserted through each opening for insertion provided at the outer panel and the frame and being engaged with an input portion of the handle lever, and an engaging hook formed at the handle lever which is movable in an axial direction of the shaft portion relative to the frame. An engaging hook is formed at the handle lever which is movable in an axial direction of the shaft portion relative to the frame. An engaging portion is formed at the frame for being engaged and disengaged with the engaging hook. An axial urging spring is provided between the handle lever and the frame for urging the handle lever to a predetermined position in the axial direction in which the engaging hook is disengaged from the engaging portion in the axial direction. When the handle lever is rotatably moved from the predetermined position in the rotation direction with a predetermined amount against a urging force of the rotative urging spring and also axially moved from the predetermined position in the axial direction with a predetermined amount against a urging force of the axial urging spring, the engaging hook of the handle lever is engaged with the engaging portion of the frame in the rotation direction and the axial direction for holding the handle lever in a tentative holding position.